In some existing supplemental inflatable restraint systems, one or more electromechanical sensors sense sudden deceleration of a vehicle and close electrical contacts to initiate desired deployment of a supplemental inflatable restraint system. When the contacts close, current flows through the contacts and through the supplemental inflatable restraint deployment squib. To ensure rapid deployment of the system, a high level of current flows through the sensors and squib. The high level of current flow through the sensor often causes arcing of the sensor, which arcing may damage the electromechanical sensor and make it unsuitable for re-use.
In the case of a battery disconnect during an event for which deployment of the supplemental inflatable restraint system is desired, reserve capacitors are used as temporary energy storage devices to supply the energy necessary to deploy the supplemental inflatable restraint system. Typically, the reserve capacitors are several large capacitors. For example, a supplemental inflatable restraint system may have one reserve capacitor for the control unit and one for each squib to be activated.
What is desirable is a supplemental inflatable restraint system with reusable electromechanical actuators. Also what is desirable is a supplemental inflatable restraint system with improved energy management enabling both a reduction in the number of capacitors necessary and a reduction in the size of the capacitors required by the system without a reduction in system performance.